The Vashon Island High School varsity baseball team opened the season with a hard-fought loss on March 12 to Kings High School.

After giving up an early lead, the Pirates battled back to make it close, but eventually fell to 11-8 by the end. Senior Ary Dulfer scored four of the eight runs and had two hits and a walk. Junior Aidan McCann led the team, batting with three hits and a walk. Junior Alex Hitchcock had two RBIs on two hits.

While a few defensive mistakes cost the team, the game showed that the Pirates never give up.

The next day, the Pirates opened up league play at home, beating Cascade Christian 5-3 in a tight game. Hitchcock, McCann and Isaac Patchen combined to allow just one earned run. Junior Ryan Rice led the team with three hits, and Hitchcock had two. McCann and Patchen each had a hit, and senior shortstop Dulfer walked twice, stealing four bases and scoring both times.

On March 15, Vashon baseball faced off with Cascade in Puyallup for a second time. Poor baserunning hurt the team, and the Pirates lost 3-2.

Dulfer pitched four strong innings, striking out seven while allowing only one earned run. Freshman Will Godwin relieved, giving up one run in the loss. Senior Tyler Lowell had three hits, and Hitchcock had two. Patchen and sophomore Ty Radford each got a hit despite the losing effort.

Finally, on Saturday, Darrington visited Vashon. This was a four-and-a-half-inning game that ended with Vashon winning by the 10-run rule, 13-3.

Freshman Sam Walker, junior Logan Prouse and Radford all pitched, allowing only three runs. McCann led the team with three hits. Dulfer and Patchen each had two, and Godwin, sophomore Mead Gill and juniors Hitchcock, Prouse and Cunningham each had a hit for the Pirates.

Sitting at 2-2 overall, 1-1 in league play, Vashon played after press time on Tuesday in Klahowya, followed by league games against Bellevue Christian on Vashon Island at 4 p.m. on Thursday.

— Marc McCann is the Pirates’ baseball coach.